Traditional techniques for fabricating semiconductors include vapor deposition processes, which are used typically to deposit relatively thin films onto semiconductor substrates to form electronic devices. Semiconductor manufacturers expect that vapor deposition processes and equipment are to provide a certain level of, for example, step coverage over topologies and features over which a film is deposited. FIG. 1 illustrates conventional deposition equipment, such as a DC magnetron, that is used in some traditional deposition processes. Diagram 100 includes a magnetron assembly 101 including a magnet assembly 122 connected to a counterweight 120, whereby magnetron assembly 101 is designed to rotate about an axis of rotation 108 in a chamber depicted as having chamber walls 110. Magnetron assembly 101 extends a distance (“d”) 102, with magnet assembly 112 extending along radius (“r2”) 106 from axis of rotation 108 and counterweight 120 extending along radius (“r1”) 104 from axis of rotation 108. Typically, magnetron assembly 101 is designed for semiconductor processing for a specific size of wafer, and the configuration is not well-suited to scale up for larger sizes of wafers.
FIG. 2 depicts a magnetic field typically generated by magnetron assembly 101 along the cross-section A-A′ shown in FIG. 1. Diagram 200 depicts a magnetic field 216 generated by magnet assembly 122 of FIG. 1. As shown, magnetic field 216 normally has a relatively constant magnitude (“Ms”) 214 along radial distance 206, which coincides with radius 106 of FIG. 1. As shown, counterweight 120 does not contribute to generation of a magnetic field along radial distance 204, which coincides with radius 104 of FIG. 1. In operation, magnetic field 216 rotates about an axis of rotation relative to a surface of a substrate 210 for fabricating a semiconductor structure, such as a film.
While functional, there are a variety of drawbacks associated with magnetron assembly 101 and the fabrication processes using the same. One drawback is that magnetron assembly 101 and the PVD processes using the magnetron assembly 101 tend to form suboptimal film structures, including instances when the size of substrate 210 increases beyond 200 mm (e.g., up to 300 mm, or greater) for certain materials to be deposited.
In view of the foregoing, it is be desirable to provide an apparatus, a system, and a method for overcoming the drawbacks of the conventional deposition processes to deposit semiconductor layers, including, but not limited to, non-metal layers (e.g., a chalcogenide-based film.)